The Great Mouse Detective: Disney's Underappreciated 26th Animated Film

Oscar Milde vs. Buzzing Fly
Inspired by Disney film The Great Mouse Detective, The Basil of Baker Street Mysteries by Eve Titus, Oscar Wilde: The Importance of Being Irish by David Coakley, and anything I can devour on Oscar Wilde.

Dramatised and illustrated by Diane N. Tran. <escottish140@hotmail.com>
Publication for this GMD site © 16 September 2000

(Editor's Note: Written text is copyright of the author. Images are copyright of the illustrator. Rebroadcast, redistribution, or reproduction of this document, in whole or in part, is prohibited without prior, written permission.)

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Blue pencil concept sketches, the only 2 images I presently approve of are those on the far right because of they're expression and line of action. They are the ones with the captions: "Stupid fly..." and "DIE!!"

Artist's Concept: First sketches of this skit was in blue pencil after reading a memorable excerpt from the biographical book Oscar Wilde: The Importance of Being Irish by David Coakley. The little recollected excerpt of a roughly 18-year-old Oscar Wilde (or should I use Oscar Milde) at Trinity College of Dublin, Ireland.
I found the concept remarkable humourous to me because it is such a very rare sight to see Oscar outside his usually pleasant exterior. I do know Oscar has a temper, but he has a remarkable control of it, having a talent of hiding his anger under a pleasant-faced mask. His temper very, very rarely flares, but he had less control of it his younger years. Once or twice, still quite rare, he has been seen in a fit of rage. Bizarrely, much of them are due to rather simple annoyances -- this one being a fly. Nevertheless, even in a fiery fit with a madman eye, Oscar still has an ora of adorablity. I cannot help but sympathise with his situation. Of course, this is also a good excuse for drawing Oscar in a nightie. So you will forgive me please, if I have the captivating Oscar in a "less than belligrerent mood."

Blue pencil concept sketches, the only 2 images I presently approve of are those on the far right because of they're expression and line of action. They are the ones with the captions: "Stupid fly..." and "DIE!!"

Artist's Note: Apparently when I played with this skit, I loved both the concept sketches and final storyboarding immensely, this was about April 2000. I admit being pleased and proud of the finished results. But as Fate has it, now August, my technique has matured and bettered itself, and I presently approve of only 2 of the 5 of the concept sketches and only 1/3 of the final. Perhaps in a few more months, I may cringe at the whole thing, even more so on my old technique. It's a fatality of a perfectionist when to criticise your eariler work severely, but that is how I am. The original is in poster size, I had to scan this in sections and puzzle-piece it together, hence the discoloured blotches.
I should also like to express my esteem apology for the amount of mistakes in the storyboard. At Trinity, Oscar's hair was shorter than it is now (see his Pastiched Cast Bio). I has drawn short hair at the beginning of the storyboarding, but as it furthers on, I accidently made it longer than it was about 15 minutes ago in the board. Also the unruly manner of his tail bolting here and there, not considering the physical structure of the nightie. Oscar apparently had some inclination of etiquette to slip into his bed-slippers when the main thing in his mind was "die, fly, die." It's also somewhat odd that he has a fly-swatter in his bedroom, too.
It is just some funny happening in Oscar Milde's life I wish to share, depsite his embrassment.

Prologue: Recollected by an army officier who had been at Trinity College with Oscar Milde: "One night we heard a frightful row in his room. Myself and another man rushed to his door. He was half dressed and jumping about the floor. 'What on earth is the matter?' we asked. 'There's a huge fly in my room,' replied Oscar, 'a great buzzing fly. I can't sleep till I drive it out!' "

Epilogue: Poor, poor Oscar. Unfortunately, Mr. Buzzing Fly kept the young Oscar awake all the night. He was unable to keep his attentions to concentrate during his morning classes. Walking to his seat in a slow-paced and droopy, red-eyed manner. He was unfortunately caught dozing during the schoolmaster's mathematical lectures, his head bowed exhaustedly upon his penned notes upon the wooden desktop. Of course, that was not the first time he was caught dozing during lectures concerning mathemathics either. He was not a whole-souled admirer of the subject.

THE END

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